Campaign 2012

Ron Paul Admits Defeat, Sort Of

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, admitted on Wednesday that he does not have enough delegates to make an official showing at the convention, but that doesn’t mean he won’t try.

Since moving away from active campaigning, Paul and his remaining campaign staff have concentrated on gathering delegates at state party conventions. He said, though, that the GOP’s rules will not allow him a coveted speaking slot at the Republican National Convention in August.

“Unfortunately, we don't have quite enough [delegates] to take over the convention,” he said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. But he remained defiant. “I'm not sure whether I will have a public presence. But we will have a presence.”

The congressman said that Romney has not reached out to Paul to speak at the convention, nor has Paul asked.

Paul remained critical of the GOP, hitting his party for its policies toward welfare reform, the Federal Reserve and war. “The Republican Party has become the outlier for the cause of liberty,” he said.

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Although the libertarian is not necessarily on the active campaign trail, per se, he said, “I’m always campaigning.” And if he wasn’t: “I would not know what to do if I couldn’t campaign for my favorite subject, and that is personal liberty.”

Earlier this month, Paul’s son, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said that he would support Romney in the general election, though he said he preferred his father.